


Somebody's Listening

by Raserus



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29832480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raserus/pseuds/Raserus
Summary: Akali is the manager of a little music store in a big busy city.  After closing up one night, she ends up singing a sad song she wrote, while playing an old piano...  Surely nothing bad could happen, right?
Relationships: Akali/Evelynn (League of Legends)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 174





	1. Chapter 1

“Nah kid, only after playin’ for as long as I have, that’s when you know how to tune. You feel it in your bones with every twist… Read all the manuals you want, watch all the YouTube you want, none of that’s right. Ain’t no soul in it.”  
  


Akali blinked slowly, azure eyes glazed over as she leaned against the counter, listening absently to the man on the other side.  
  


It wasn’t like she had an interest in music, experience with instruments, or anything. She was just the manager of this shitty hole in the wall music shop for the hell of it.  
  


_‘It’s not that deep, dude…’  
  
_

She kept her thoughts to herself, she didn’t want a repeat of last week. Akali made the mistake of calling a man out on his long winded bullshit and almost got fired. Fuck her for not taking shit, right?  
  


“Thank you for the soulful lesson,” she began, after he went quiet. “I know it’s a vintage Stratocaster but I can only give you fifty bucks in trade-in credit.”  
  


" ** _What!_ **”  
  


She cringed internally at the raise of voice, but maintained a face of neutrality. “It looks like it’s been through hell, man. That’s the roughest guitar I’ve ever seen, it doesn’t even have the original bridge or pickups. The tuners were custom resin, you said? Not original, either. It’d take a lot of money to get it back up to snuff, before it’s even worth putting on the shelf. I’m sorry, I know it has history to it, but sentimentality doesn’t add to the value.”  
  


The man went red in the face and hugged his guitar close, then stomped right out into the night. As he went, a tall woman entered, looking a bit perplexed, with a brown paper bag in hand.  
  


“The hell was his deal, ‘Kali?”  
  


Kai’sa, her best friend in the whole world. Her only friend, actually. They grew up together in this city and have always been inseparable.   
  
“Dude couldn’t fathom that his guitar wasn’t worth shit.”  
  
  
Kai’sa wrinkled her nose.  
  


“Oh come on, ‘Kali. Every instrument is worth _something_. Nothing is worthless.”  
  


Akali rolled her eyes now, moving out from behind the counter. “Yeah, yeah. I offered him fifty in trade-in credit towards a new guitar, but he didn’t like that one bit.”  
  


The taller woman laughed, setting down the bag she had been carrying. A wonderful smell hit the shorter girl’s nose, and she gasped. “You didn’t!” A grin spread across her face, amethyst eyes squinting a bit. “Oh, I did.”  
  
“CHICKEN NUGGETS! Hell yeah!”  
  


Akali did a bit of a fist pump, then hugged Kai’sa. “Gotta have a cheat meal every once in a while, otherwise your body throws a fit. Been sticking to the plan?” She nodded, smiling. “I sure have. Been buying fresh ingredients and all that, whipping up the meals for the week. They’re pretty damn good.”  
  


As Akali let go, Kai’sa dragged a couple stools over from near a few drum sets, and they both had a seat and started eating their delicious but very sodium-ridden meal. “Thank you for teaching me, Kai Kai. I appreciate it.”  
  
Kai’sa popped a nugget in her mouth and hummed. “Not a problem. Better than the ramen, frozen dinners, and cans of ravioli you were eating, yeah?” The girl groaned. “Shit, _so_ much better. I can’t believe I was surviving on that for so damn long.”  
  


The two giggled amongst themselves for a few moments, and Kai’sa scanned the store. It had changed a little since she was last here. Some things had sold, some new had come in, and previously owned things were here and there. Her eyes settled on a large piano, and soon widened.  
  


“Oh my gosh, Akali! Is that a Steinway?!”  
  


Her chicken nuggets forgotten, Kai’sa leapt up and darted over. Akali laughed, taking her box of nuggets with her as she followed, snacking on them along the way. “Yeah, Ahri met with the person out of the store and negotiated. It’s just a model M, but it’s pretty nice.”  
  


After Kai’sa was done looking over and touching the damn thing, she checked the price tag. “Fifteen thousand?! Holy shit, Akali. That’s gonna be here a while.” Suddenly, her eyes brightened. “Have you played it yet after hours? You were so good with the piano, back when we were kids.”  
  
  
She shook her head slowly, chewing her last chicken nugget before discarding the box. “Nah, I haven’t. I don’t want to risk damaging the piano, y’know? Ahri would kick my ass… More than she usually does.” At that, Kai’sa looked absolutely devastated. “You should try it, just once. While I’m here, preferably! You wrote that sad song recently, it’d sound so good if you sang it while playing.”  
  
Akali wrinkled her nose. “No, no way. I haven’t sang in years.” Kai’sa practically galloped over, putting an arm around her shoulder. “Bullshit, ‘Kali. I heard you singing in the shower the other day. Look, I could record it, and we could post it on TikTok. You’d definitely get a shit ton of views.”  
  


Her nose remained wrinkled and she waved dismissively.   
  


“Nah, nah. Like I said, don’t wanna risk damaging the goods. I like my job, as much as I bitch and moan about the customers. I’d hate to get fired and have to go work at fucking Guitar Center or something.” The other woman had pulled away, giving a ‘are you kidding me’ look before folding her arms.  
  


“Akali, you work at a music shop that’s called Foxfyre. It sounds like a strip club. I wouldn’t be so high and mighty, if I were you.”  
  


She scoffed at Kai’sa, stepping back to the counter. “What’s wrong with strip clubs? They’re fun. Now, if you don’t get back over here, I’m gonna eat YOUR nuggets.”  
  


“No! My nuggets!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive the crappy formatting, I got impatient and edited/posted this on my phone at work. Enjoy~

Days had come and gone, instruments sold and bought, and the interior rotated, changing yet again. Now that piano lay at the center of the store, price down a couple thousand, but still so very high. It was nearing nine o’ clock, and Akali had just closed the store down for the night.

She carefully managed the register’s till, even though it was a task she absolutely loathed. Math sucked, but thank goodness for calculators. Once all was squared away and tucked neatly in bags in the safe, in the back of Ahri’s office, she snagged a duster, various types of cleaners, and a rag.

Akali painstakingly cleaned every last instrument on the floor, and dusted the ones on the walls with great care. The glass countertop and case that held smaller, more valuable instruments, got a good wipe down as well, leaving it shining.

When all was said and done, she let out a sigh, and her eyes came to rest on the piano. Worrying her bottom lip a moment, she glanced around. No one was here, no one would know, for sure. Ahri was at home by now, Kai’sa was indisposed, so she wouldn’t be popping in to hassle her.

“Couldn’t hurt…”

She made her way over, setting the cleaning supplies aside as she went. Her hands delicately ran over the cover, before lifting it carefully. It was heavier than she initially thought, and with a quiet grunt, she moved it back so that the ivories were exposed. After pulling out the bench, she eased into the cushion, and let her fingertips glide across the keys.

“How did it go, again…”

She pondered briefly. It was written on a few napkins back at her apartment, tacked up on a corkboard. Quickly enough, it finally came back to her. “Oh oh, right.”

It was a sad song, one she had written late in the night after one too many beers. See, she had never had luck in love. Kai’sa set her up on a few random dates with nice women she knew, but… Nothing ever panned out. As nice as they were, after meeting her, they usually only wanted one thing.

Taking in a deep breath, her eyes slipped shut and she let her fingers move, muscle memory a bit rusty, letting herself take her time to find the right keys. Her mouth opened, and though her voice was a little rough, it eventually evened out into a low and gentle tone as she sang.  
  
  
“I tried to talk to my piano, I tried to talk to my guitar. Talked to my imagination, confided into alcohol. I tried and tried and tried some more, told secrets 'til my voice was sore. Tired of empty conversation, ‘cause no one hears me anymore.”

Eventually, she let her thoughts go, fingers finding each key with precision, as she poured her heart into the words. She imagined she was on a stage, before a vast crowd. They were all silent, attention focused on her entirely.

“A hundred million stories, and a hundred million songs. I feel stupid when I sing, nobody's listening to me. Nobody's listening. I talk to shooting stars, but they always get it wrong. I feel stupid when I pray, so, why am I praying anyway, if nobody's listening? Anyone, please send me anyone. Lord, is there anyone?”

  
The loneliness she had felt in recent months gave an edge to her voice, as she continued, the piano growing louder with each word uttered.

“I need someone, oh… Anyone, please send me anyone. Lord, is there anyone? I need someone. I used to crave the world's attention, I think I cried too many times. I just need some more affection… Anything to get me by.”

Just a jog away in the confines of Ahri’s office, the shadows began to twist and swirl. Papers on the desk began to get rustled before being flung away by a whirlwind, scattered all about the room. In time a shape began to form there amidst the darkness, and before long, the whirlwind dispersed, and that shape rose up to stand.

“Fascinating.”  
  
  


The voice came out akin to a purr, the voice low and velvety. Eyes opened in the dark, striking topaz depths shining like beacons. Unnatural, inhuman. The shadowy shape stepped to the open door, the voice of the woman in the center of the store catching her attention. Ah, this was the mortal that had summoned her. As she shifted to lean against the doorframe, the light of the store finally exposed her. Dressed entirely in black, she looked as though she had stepped right out of a high end fashion magazine.

Heeled boots, snug leather pants, a sleeveless blouse with an oh so low neck that was a button or two short of being done up fully, and so much gold jewelry it was ridiculous. Long chains hung around her neck, small hoops and studs lining her ears. It went well with her pale skin, and long lilac hair.

  
Lightly drumming golden claws against her arm, she dispersed into shadows once more, travelling across the store. She couldn’t just outright startle the mortal that summoned her, no, that’d be bad. Having her die of a heart attack would not be good. It wasn’t often she got to tread in the mortal realms, let alone be _summoned_. She wanted to enjoy it, while it lasted. Mortals never lived very long.

She hovered at the entryway, before reforming. No change came from the girl, and her performance continued. Good, she hadn’t been noticed. A clawed finger subtly clicked the lock, ensuring it was open, to make her story believable. She’d heard a most enchanting voice, and a marvelous tune. Couldn’t help but step in.

“A hundred million stories, and a hundred million songs. I feel stupid when I sing, nobody's listening to me, nobody's listening. I talk to shooting stars, but they always get it wrong. I feel stupid when I pray… Why the fuck am I praying anyway, if nobody's listening?”

The notes from the piano grew softer with each word, until finally, the woman sighed quietly. A small smile touched her lips. “Should’ve had Kai’sa here, she would’ve loved that.”

A chill crept up her spine as she noticed a figure from the corner of her eye, and soon heard a slow clapping. Akali jerked in the direction of the door, and saw that enchanting beauty standing there. Those eyes locked with hers, and she felt like she couldn’t move. 

“Somebody’s listening, darling. That was absolutely marvelous.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I keep telling myself I’ll wait to post again but here I am.

The woman sputtered a bit, after managing to break eye contact. It felt like when you try to pull two really strong magnets apart. Almost fucking impossible.

The effort almost took Akali’s breath away.

“Ma’am, I dunno if you saw the sign, b-but… We’re closed.”

Akali stood, carefully reseating the cover over the ivory keys before turning her attention to the door… Only to find the strange woman _even closer_. Her breath caught in her throat as she peered up at her.

“Oh, I know you’re closed. Saw the sign, even. I was walking by and heard that utterly divine voice, and the warmth of that piano… I couldn’t stay away, I just _had_ to come in and tell you how good that little performance was.”

Akali glanced behind her, eyes narrowing a touch. She was pretty sure she locked that door… However, this woman was gorgeous. How could she refuse a bit of contact with someone very much out of her league?

“Ah, well… Thank you. A friend of mine said I should try the piano out, sing a little. Didn’t want to at first, but temptation won out.”

A smirk slipped onto the woman’s perfect face, and Akali swallowed thickly. Fuck, it felt like she was gonna devour her on the spot. The aura this woman exuded was _intense_. 

“Thank goodness for temptation, without that, life wouldn’t be interesting,” the woman purred. Yeah, Akali was done for. That purr hit her hard, and instantly, she was smitten. After a moment, she noticed the woman was holding out her hand. Each finger was clad in golden claws, and without even thinking, she went to take that hand. Oh fuck, they were sharp… But her hands? Oh god, they were so soft.

“The name is Evelynn, and it’s a pleasure to meet you. Akali, right?”

Her head tilted, and Akali blinked owlishly at her. “How’d you know my name?”

The woman smirked still, and reached out with her free hand to flick the plastic square clipped onto her shirt. “You’re wearing a name badge, darling.”

Oh. Oh my god. Akali closed her eyes and sighed. Oh how fucking stupid a beautiful woman made her brain behave.

“Hah, right. I uh, I forgot I still had that on.”

Evelynn gave her hand a gentle squeeze and a light shake, before releasing. Unbeknownst to the girl, the touch left a lasting mark that stood out clear as day to the demon. She was marked, and now she’d be able to find her anywhere in the world.

“You’re quite cute. In any case, I suppose I should be off, hm? The store is closed after all.”

Akali stared a moment, mouth moving without sound, until finally she found her voice. “Hey! Uh, could I have your number? I can let you know when I decide to fool around on the piano again, and you could come hang out.”

‘ _Fuck, that was too forward.’_

“Oh, I’d love that, darling.”

Those azure depths of hers took on an immediate shine. Oh hell yes, maybe not too forward at all. She glanced down to reach into a pocket for her own phone, and during that time, Evelynn manifested a phone in hand. Did they have phones in Hell? Who knows.

“Here we go. Swap to add contacts?”

She grinned, looking hopeful. Evelynn couldn’t deny her, handing her own phone off for Akali’s. They typed away a moment, and soon traded once more.

“Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.”

Akali had been looking down at her phone when she felt warm metal touch her chin and angle her head up. Oh god, when did Evelynn get _that_ close?! Her lungs ceased functioning as she stood there, stock still, as the woman leaned in close. Akali’s eyes were locked on her lips, fully expecting them to hit her own, but instead… It was a cheek kiss. Not at all as intimate as she had hoped, but it was still something.

Once on her left cheek, once on the right. Evelynn’s skin was so fucking soft. What the hell beauty regimen did she follow? Did she sell her soul to the devil for perfect skin, or something? Probably.

“Have a good night.”

A little wave of her claws was given, and Evelynn left the store. A sharp intake of breath cut through the silence as Akali started breathing again.

“Holy fuck. I have to text Kai’sa.”

Quickly her phone came up and she started tapping away.

**Dude. I was playing the piano, singing to myself, and some chick just appeared in here. Pretty sure I locked the door, but there she was. She complimented my voice and how I played.**

**_You bitch, I can’t believe you did it without me!!_ **

**Spur of the moment thing, I’m sorry.**

**_Was she hot? What did she look like?_ **

**Oh fuck, she was gorgeous. Looked like she stepped out of Elle magazine or something. We exchanged phone numbers.**

**_Oh my god._ **

**Her name is Evelynn. You should come by in a couple days, I’ll play again. Told her I’d text her when I did so she could come hang out.**

**_Oh no way am I coming by, you need to be alone with this chick for a while. Get to know her. Maybe she’ll be the one?_ **

Akali scoffed.

**I doubt someone that fancy is gonna be interested in my minimum wage ass. She’s way out of my league, Kai Kai.**

**_You miss all the shots you don’t take, ‘Kali. I’ll come by another time._ **

**Alright, fine. Anyway I’m gonna head home. Goodnight.**

**_Goodnight ‘Kali. Ride safe!_ **

Once the store was locked up for sure this time(she triple checked), she slung her backpack over her shoulder and leaned down to unlock her bike. An unsettling feeling crawled over her skin. It felt like she was being watched. Once the lock loudly clicked open, she stood up quickly, looking around intently to ensure she was alone.

“Hm.”

The lock and chain were wrapped up around the handlebars, and she moved to get on and ride into the street. She settled into a chill pace, observing the street before her and the buildings around her.

That feeling never faded, not even when she got home. Lifting the bike up, she hauled it up the steps and carried it into the building she lived in. Several flights of stairs later, she reached her floor, and never had she been more thankful the bike was a tiny Huffy instead of some big ass thing like what Kai’sa rode.

Once she got to her door, she outright shuddered.

“Jesus fuck dude, am I being haunted or something?”

Her voice was an irate mutter, and she bumped the door with her hip to get it open, once she had unlocked it. Loud meows sounded immediately and she sighed.

“Hello to you too Tiger, I’ll feed you in a minute. Get outta the way, don’t wanna squish you!”

The cat ignored her and kept circling her feet the entire time the bike got put up, and the whole time she made her way to his food. She narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

“Dude, your bowl is half empty.”

With a sigh, she topped it off and gave him fresh water. After kicking off her shoes, a shower was definitely in order. Part of her wished she had a tub, but those apartments were more expensive. It’d been years since she had a good bubble bath.

“Mm. Maybe Kai’sa will let me come over and use her tub sometime,” she murmured to herself, discarding her clothes into a hamper.

The entire time she was in the shower, Tiger sat outside and yowled. “You’re such a good singer, buddy! Belt it out!” The cat went silent for a minute or two, then let out a LOUD wail. “Oh damn! You’re gonna win a Grammy for that one!”

Akali laughed to herself when she stepped out, drying off before tending to her hair. She didn’t quite feel like blow drying it today, so she dried vigorously with a towel and brushed it out. Good ol’ air drying, definitely won’t regret _that_ later.

Once all was said and done, she scooped up Tiger and carried the chunky orange tabby all the way to the front room. Onto the couch they went, the cat cuddling up almost immediately, while she moved to flip through Netflix.

“Let’s watch some prison documentaries.”


	4. Chapter 4

It was still dark when Akali jolted awake. Tiger was gone, likely off somewhere else in the apartment, leaving her all by her lonesome on the couch. The TV’s screen was darkened, with a familiar ‘still watching?’ screen from Netflix.

Rising up from the couch, she yawned and stretched, before making her way into the kitchen to get a glass of water. While filling it, she heard a strange sound. It was… Growling? Raising a brow, she turned, taking a sip before noticing the cat staring intently at the door.

“Hm.”  
  
Another sip was taken before she sat the glass down and made her way to the door. Yep, Tiger was growling, and it was only getting louder. His tail was puffed up and lashing about next to him. “Someone out there causing a fuss? It’s alright buddy, don’t worry about it.”  
  
Then, he hissed. At that point, Akali frowned, and made her way to the door. She uncovered the peephole and took a look out. The shadows were long in the hall, and with the lights dimmed at night, she couldn’t see much. There was a glint of what looked like eyes, however.

“Aw damn it, that weird ass raccoon is back again. That must be what’s making you so upset. I’ll get rid of it.”

She leaned over and snagged an umbrella from beside her shoe rack and unlocked the door, and without an ounce of fear in her, she headed out. “Okay you little adorable bastard, Kevin hasn’t lived here for like a month! There’s no more trash hanging around to snack on.”  
  
Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she turned on the flashlight and aimed it around, trying to find that raccoon. There was a flash of eyes again, and the shadows seemed to crawl. “Come on man, I need to get to bed. I got work in the morning. The door downstairs is broken, so you go out the way you came. Go on, get!”  
  


The umbrella was waved around a bit before she saw a shape move in the shadows, super quick, before she noticed no more signs of movement, and all was left still. Down the flights of stairs, the rattling of a door was heard, and she let out a sigh of relief. “Thank god, I hate that asshole,” she muttered to herself.

As Akali went back into her apartment, returning to her now irritated but rapidly calming cat, those shadows reformed just outside. Evelynn stood, looking most displeased, with her back pressed to the brick of the building.

‘ _Did I really just get chased out of a building by a damn human wielding an umbrella?_ ’

She hissed and the shadows around her seethed. The demon had followed Akali back here, just wanting to watch her as she slept but, it was impossible, with that beast standing guard. Cats warded off evil spirits, yet no one knew how felines gained such power over time. It never used to be that way.

“Of course the one that summons me, has a cat,” she muttered, glancing up. Shadows washed over her before she vanished into the darkness once more, taking off into the night. She had plans to make. No longer could she hope for an invite to the human’s domain, there was no way she could cross the threshold with that cat there. No, she had to acquire a place of her own, and invite _her_ . A thought crossed her mind. ‘ _That piano. I should buy it, and have her play it for me._ ’

In the grand scheme of things, the demon Evelynn was a trickster. Definitely up to no good, at all times. Despite being a demon, her presence was not a truly malicious one, unless provoked. No, she was simply summoned by a human out of desperation and loneliness. The cosmos was vast, and the powers that be within it made no sense, it seemed.

Angels would help humanity on the down low. Often indirectly, they guided mortals. Demons followed the prayers like jackals follow lions making a kill, taking what they could when they weren’t looking. Often in the end, they’d coerce the humans into forfeiting their soul for an extension on their life, wealth, popularity.

Evelynn felt a challenge in this human. Akali didn’t want any of those things, all she wanted was companionship. She did very much enjoy a good challenge, and she was willing to do what it took in order to get her soul.

One way or another, she’d get that girl to sign her name on the dotted line.

Back inside the apartment, Akali was curled up in bed, with Tiger curled up against her back. The two dozed off, sleeping oh so soundly now in peace. The flash of topaz eyes at the window went largely unnoticed… Tiger, however, did flick an ear.

In an instant, that gaze was gone. Evelynn got a final peek at Akali, sleeping so peacefully.

‘ _Sleep well, darling. We’re going to have such fun here soon._ ’

**_Beeep. Beeep. Beeep. Beeep._ **

A loud groan of irritation cut through the blaring of the alarm, and Akali slapped a hand out to hit at her phone. “Shut up, shut up, shut up…”

Tiger yowled and leapt away, thundering down the hall to likely glare at his food bowl for a bit. Slowly she sat up and eventually managed to silence the alarm, before glancing around squinting. 

“I really don’t wanna go to work today… I hate closing. So fucking annoying,” she muttered. There wasn’t much choice, sadly. Jinx had long since claimed the opening hours, and refused to trade. Actually, once, she did consider it but only if Akali went out on a date with her.

It was a hard pass from Akali. That woman was infuriating.

Moving to slide out of bed, she got herself freshened up, changed into clean clothes, and brushed her hair as she wandered to the kitchen.

“What’s on the agenda today…”

She sat the brush aside and popped open her fridge. A few containers sat within, and she decided on the chicken and rice with vegetables. Filling and reasonably healthy.

Once it was warming in the microwave, she glanced down to see Tiger staring at her.

“No. This is mine, you have food.”

The cat meowed oh so sadly before waddling off, leaving her to snort and deal with her meal. She ate quickly, topped off Tiger’s food and water, and picked up her bike. “Look after the place buddy! I’ll be back later!”

Once on her way, she settled into a leisurely pace in the bike lane, making her way toward work. A roar of an engine caught her attention, gaining a glance over her shoulder. A purple Lamborghini zipped by, mirror narrowly missing her.

“Fuckin’ asshole!”

She flipped the bird and shouted, glaring at the car as it vanished further into the city.

“People are such douchebags.”

For a while she grumped and bitched to herself, deciding to take a few extra minutes to get a bagel and a coffee, and managed to arrive at work five minutes before she was classified as late. Quickly she locked up her bike and juggled her lunch, making her way inside.

“Jinx, Ahri, I’m here! Sorry I was almost late… Got in a mood and got a bit hungry.”

The two women were currently standing with another person, who she immediately recognized as the woman that had surprised her the other night. Almost dropped her damn bagel, as she gawked. “Evelynn? Surprised to see you… So soon.”

The idle chatter ceased and Evelynn turned, flashing a heart-flutteringly-brilliant smile to Akali. Oh, there went the bagel, it almost hit the floor, but thankfully Akali was quick and snagged it again. It and her coffee were sat on the counter, backpack going next to it all, and eagerly she made her way over.

“Hey pipsqueak! Guess what, we just had a big sale. The piano! Miss Evelynn DeVille here just bought it.”

Akali’s eyes widened. Never mind the fact the woman had a last name that made her seem like some kind of cartoonish villain, she actually bought the fucking piano. Well, so much for playing it for Kai’sa. There must have been a flicker of disappointment across her face, because Evelynn leaned in and tapped her chin to tilt her head up.

The claws were gone, today, it seemed.

“Don’t look so sad, darling. You can come over and play it any time you’d like, so long as you play it for me.”

Her heart thundered in her ears a moment and she managed an awkward chuckle. “Oh, sure! That’d be awesome. I’d love to play. It. The piano.”

Jinx made a quiet snerk behind Ahri as the girl stumbled over her words, and Ahri herself seemed amused. “Evelynn told me that you sold her on it, after she saw you playing it. When the store was closed, and there was not a soul to tell you to keep your hands off it.”

There was a bit of chiding in that, but she didn’t mean any ill will. Akali grinned sheepishly, turning to her when Evelynn pulled her hand away. “I couldn’t resist, I’m sorry. Won’t happen again.” That made Ahri laugh. “To hell with that, Akali. If you playing the instruments brings in buyers, please feel free to mess with anything we get in.”

Evelynn smiled. “She’s quite skilled. Do you offer lessons here? I wager she could bring in additional cash flow through that, and spread the love of music as she did it. When her hands touched that piano, not a note felt forced or mechanical. It all flowed, so emotional it was almost magical. We need more of that in the world.”

Those unnatural topaz eyes seemed to sparkle, and Akali’s cheeks immediately went red. Ahri tapped her chin and pondered. “I’ll have to give it thought, but it couldn’t hurt. We’d have to hire another employee to ensure we’re staffed while Akali teaches… Could work.”

Jinx patted Ahri on the shoulder. “Looks like you got plannin’ to do, bosslady!” 

Ahri hummed and nodded. “So, Evelynn, we’ll have the piano delivered tomorrow. Any time of day okay with you?” Akali hovered, looking a bit awkward, but not yet wanting to leave just yet. “Perfectly okay with me, dear. I’ll have my schedule cleared and be ready to greet the delivery men.”

Those eyes of hers shifted to Akali, who was unaware of the gaze just yet. “Would you care to join me, Akali? Help me find a suitable place for it, maybe give me a lesson or two?” Then she batted her eyelashes, and that was absolutely overkill, because merely asking was more than enough for Akali to agree. That simply cemented her fate.

“Uh, sure! Tomorrow happens to be one of my days off, so that’s like, perfect. Text me the directions and I’ll ride over.”

There came an amused chuckle from Evelynn.

“Oh darling, don’t you worry about that. Text me your address, and I’ll come pick you up in the morning.”

Akali flashed a small smile and nodded. “Sure, I can do that.”

“Now, I’d best be off. Several things to get done today in order to prepare for tomorrow. Take care, lovelies.” Jinx gave a most emphatic wave and Ahri wiggled her fingers in a goodbye. Akali stood there, just smiling like a fool. An absolutely hopeless, smitten, little fool.

‘ _All according to plan._ ’

Evelynn walked out of the store with a slight sway to her hips, and a most devilish grin curling her lips.


	5. Chapter 5

The day dragged on fairly uneventfully. Ahri brainstormed and eventually headed home, Jinx had departed not long before that, and Akali was left to manage on her own. It wasn’t anything new, and it was just how she liked it.

The customer flow had been remarkably slow today, to the point where Akali had been able to straighten up and clean literally every surface available. Even some instruments were rearranged, ensuring there was ample room for the piano to be gathered and hauled out. As she made her way around it, heading to the back of the store to set down her supplies, the familiar little jingle of the door’s bell got her attention.

“I’ll be with you in just a moment!”

She hummed to herself, but stopped oh so quickly when she turned and saw it was that same man from the other day. His guitar case in hand yet again, he looked as though he were about to try to sell that same piece of junk to her yet again.

“Hey George, welcome back. Got something new for me?”

She tried her best to be friendly and welcoming.

“No, same ol’ guitar. I want you to reconsider your offer.”

It was hefted up on the counter, and he settled his hands on top of it. With a quiet sigh, Akali made her way around behind the counter, hands taking hold of it as she leaned forward against it. “I told you man, the offer before is what stands. Ahri would kill me if I took this thing for market value.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’ll find someone that’ll be interested in it! Not everyone cares about original parts or good looks, kid.” She tilted her head and frowned. God, she hated being called ‘kid’. “It’d sit on the wall for months and months, and we’d have to lower the price until someone bit. We’d never get our money back on it. I’m sorry man, I can’t.”

At this point, he had weird look in his eyes. She was pretty sure if push came to shove, she could take care of herself, but honestly? It didn’t seem like it’d get that far.

“Please, I’m beggin’ you. I gotta pay a guy back, or he’s gonna beat my ass.”

She reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose, eyes closing briefly. Of course, that explains why he was so desperate.

“It’s a hard no. Go find a pawn shop, man. Maybe they’ll let you use it as collateral.”

When she finally reopened her eyes, she found a small pistol in her face. That look he was giving her was utterly intense now. “If you ain’t gonna help me, I’m gonna take it, then. Small shops like you, got the money in a safe in the back, yeah? Get it. Give it to me. Now.”

Akali’s body froze, mouth hanging open just a bit, but the need to speak vanished entirely as a new presence in the store made itself known just behind the man. Something whip-like snatched the gun right out of the man’s hand and tossed it across the store with a clatter, while dangerous clawed fingers pressed at the man’s throat. 

“You have two options, I think. You get out of here and never return, or you lose your life. The former is most preferable, as the latter will stain their floor severely and I really don’t wish to ruin this girl’s day.”

The claws pressed in, threatening to rip and tear, as the low and dangerous voice rose to life.

“Fuck! F-Fuck! Okay, okay. I’m going, I-I won’t come back. Promise… Please don’t kill me.”

The man trembled and sobbed before finally, he was released. His hands shook as they grabbed that guitar case, and turned tail. He flew right out of the shop and Akali finally took in the sight of her savior.

“Evelynn… Thank you.”

Akali took in a shaky breath and moved to brace herself against the counter. That whole ordeal was ridiculous, and even more so how it shook her so badly. The fact that it was a gun in her face, instead of a knife, might have been the issue. She’d done a lot of shit growing up, hung out with less than savory people, but never had any guns been involved.

“Oh, you poor thing. You’re shaking like a leaf.”

Evelynn’s brows had furrowed, and her head tilted. Reaching out, she fussed with Akali’s wild bangs, brushing her forehead with those claw tips as she went.

“Rattled the nerves a little. I think I’ll be alright.” She glanced in the direction of the tossed gun, biting her bottom lip. Evelynn followed her gaze, humming softly, before pulling out a silk handkerchief. She waltzed over and swept it up with it, wrapping it carefully, before tucking it away in her handbag.

“I’ll take care of this.”

Turning just a little, she glanced back to Akali and flashed a most lovely smile.

“It’s about that time to close for the night, hm? You should head straight home and get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow.”

She nodded a little and smiled. “Right, I’ll head straight there.”

“Oh, and don’t bother mentioning this to your boss. I’d prefer to not have to converse with the police and the news outlets while they scramble for a story. They can be so troublesome..." Her voice dipped to a sultry tone.   
  
"Let's keep it between us.”

With that, she was gone, the jingling of the door’s bell the only sound for a brief few seconds.

Without hesitating a moment longer, Akali closed up shop and got her duties out of the way for the night, before locking up. The ride back to the apartment was nerve wracking, as whatever haze she was under in the shop faded quickly with the cool air whipping in her face. What if the man was still around, waiting? What if Evelynn’s threat didn’t last? Her gut told her she should've called Ahri. It was super too late now, though.

Her thoughts made her pedal the Huffy faster, and she zipped down the sparsely populated streets, definitely ignoring some traffic laws along the way. She just wanted to be home, safe and tucked away with Tiger. She was absolutely over it all.

That poor cat was startled beyond belief as she threw herself into the apartment, letting her bike thump to the floor and knock against the wall. It seemed he was over it all, too. Glaring from the spot he had flown to atop her fridge, he watched as Akali tossed work clothes every which way and made an utter mess. The shower sounded briefly, and before long, she was back, cleaning up the mess she had created.

“Today was so RIDICULOUS, Tiger! I can’t believe I had a gun pulled on me. Over a stupid as guitar! Then that woman was back, like some dark hero of the night, or something.”

With an armload of clothes, she stopped, looking up at the cat as he meowed at her. “Right! Just like BATMAN!” Then she stopped to glance to the side. “Only dangerously pretty.” Another meow sounded and she laughed. “I know, I’m hopeless.”

Once the mess was cleaned, and her backpack was hung at its proper place by the door, she fixed the bike’s resting place. There was a scuff on the wall now, and she frowned. She’d have to paint that, later. Didn’t want to lose her deposit, if she ever had to move.

Plugging her nose, she went about scooping Tiger’s stinky ol’ litter box, then made a fuss as she cleaned up around his food bowl. “So messy! Gonna change your name to Piggy, it seems Tiger doesn’t really fit you anymore, buddy.”

The cat circled, meowing up a storm, until finally she put the bowl back down, refilled. He rubbed along a leg and she laughed quietly, petting him gently when he went to settle down and eat. Akali topped off his water, and promptly crashed on her couch.

“Time for some Supergirl.”

She vaguely remembered watching some of the episode as she texted Kai’sa, before some prime Lena and Kara angst started to hit hard. Before she knew it, the ringing of her phone jolted her awake while the vibrations skittered it across her table. 

The sun was shining, and the name ‘Evelynn’ stood out quite clearly on the screen.

“Oh FUCK.”


End file.
